Benevolence Fund
Support for Charities
As well as our main Church project, we also support several other charities with smaller sums, collected during communion services at the church:
For 2010:
January – Help the Aged – This is an international charity fighting to free older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. They support vulnerable older people in over 50 countries. Their mission is to work for disadvantaged older people. The group carries out research into their needs, campaigns for their rights, and provides vital services. In April 2009 Help the Aged joined with Age Concern to provide a national charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people.
February – Crisis – This is a national charity for single homeless people. There are many ways in which Crisis aims to help these people, eg, Crisis Skylight offers a variety of activities for homeless people and the general public; Crisis Christmas opens its doors in 7 centres across the UK over the Christmas period; the Crisis Supportive Housing model provides innovative solutions to homelessness while creating high quality, affordable homes for low-income essential workers, and formerly homeless adults; in addition to many other schemes. Crisis established its first Skylight Learning and Activity Centre outside London – in the North of England, at Newcastle upon Tyne.
The centre, in City House (City Road, NE1 2AF) opened its doors to members in April 2007. Crisis Skylight Newcastle combines free practical and creative workshops and more formal learning opportunities leading to qualifications and employment. Classes include art, singing, jewellery making, digital photography, pottery & ceramics, sculpture, car maintenance, acoustic guitar, IT & jobskills.
March – Action for Children - Action for Children supports and speaks out for the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK. They support families at critical times and with difficult problems. They help find carers for children who can't live with their families. They help vulnerable and excluded young people. They provide specialist help and support for disabled children and in their schools they help children and young people reach their full potential. In 2009 the society celebrated 140 years of helping the UK’s most vulnerable children.
April – Victim Support - The national charity for victims and witnesses of crime in England and Wales. This charity gives free and confidential help to victims of crime, their family, friends and anyone else affected. They give information, emotional support and practical help. You don’t have to report a crime to the police to get their help and can get support at any time, whenever the crime happened. They are not a government agency or part of the police. They have centres in the North East of England, in Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Shields, Blaydon and Sunderland, running and co-ordinating their local services. They run the Witness Service in every criminal court to help people called as witnesses. Their Victim Supportline (0845 30 30 900) gives immediate help over the phone and puts people in touch with their local teams. They also campaign for greater rights for victims and witnesses and to raise awareness.
May – Christian Aid – This is a Christian organisation that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. They work globally to eradicate the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. They are part of a wider movement for social justice. They provide urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes. Their essential purpose is: to expose the scandal of poverty; to help in practical ways to root it out from the world; to challenge and change structures and systems that favour the rich and powerful over the poor and marginalised.
June/July – Alzheimer’s Society - This is a membership organisation which works to improve the quality of life of people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many of the 25,000 members have personal experience of dementia, as carers, health professionals or people with dementia themselves, and their experiences help to inform their work. Their branch services include day care and home care for people with dementia, as well as support and befriending services to help partners and families cope with the demands of caring. From Alzheimer's Café's and innovative ‘singing for the brain' sessions, to memory-book projects and group outings, the branches provide both practical support and an essential point of human contact.
August – Benevolence Fund - An emergency hardship fund for immediate distribution to needy cases within the Church and its community. Distributed at the discretion of the Minister.
For projects supported in 2008, click here.
For projects supported in 2009, click here.